Agenda and minutes

Contact: Schools Forum Administration  Email: SchoolsForum.Admin@southampton.gov.uk

Link: Link to meeting

Items
No. Item

18.

Minutes of Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 131 KB

Minutes of the meeting held on 23rd September 2009, attached.

Minutes:

The Forum agreed and noted the minutes of  the meeting heard on 17 November 2021.

19.

2022-23 Schools Revenue Funding Arrangements and Dedicated Schools Grant pdf icon PDF 650 KB

To consider the paper detailing the 2022-23 Schools Revenue Funding Arrangements and Dedicated Schools Grant.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Forum considered the paper detailing the 2022-23 Schools Revenue Funding Arrangements and Dedicated Schools Grant and the additional papers circulated prior to the meeting.

 

The Forum noted that the estimated growth fund requirement is £393,000 and CSSB (Central School Services Block ) shortfall £103,000 is £155,000 more than the predicted surplus. The Local Authority proposed that the AWPU and MFG factors are marginally reduced below the full NFF (national Funding Formula) with an area cost adjustment as shown below so that growing schools receive the funding for extra classes of pupils in September 2021 and 2022 and key services to schools are not reduced.

 

It was noted that whilst the CSSB funds part of the statutory services provided to schools, a substantial part £656,000 is funded by the Local Authority from General Funds. It was explained that if the shortfall in the CSSB was not supported by schools in 2022-23, it would impact the ability of the Education team to continue to assist schools. It was proposed that a small contribution for these elements is made by a reduction to the full NFF AWPU of £3 per primary unit and £5 per secondary unit and using an MFG rate of 1.85%. The average impact of all three proposed changes on schools is minimal at less than 0.2% of a school’s budget.

 

Upon being put to the vote the Forum voted to

 

1.  To a block transfer to the CSSB of £103k

2.   Accrue a growth fund of £393k

 

Secondly the Forum discussed the recent announcement from the Department for Education regarding a reduction in the School Improvement Grant paid to Local Authorities. It was explained that this was used to assist maintained schools by the provision of funds and school improvement officers. In 2022-23 SCC will have a reduction of £44k in the grant. The Department for Education indicated that the shortfall in the grant could be deducted from maintained schools budget shares via the Authority Proforma Tool (APT) – Education Functions.

 

SCC proposed a deduction of £2.4 per pupil in a maintained school is made within the APT to compensate for the shortfall cause by the DfE Changes.

 

Upon being put to the vote the maintained schools representatives voted to support the proposed deduction

 

The Forum noted the APT is subject to agreement by the Department for Education, and in the event that the DfE require changes, SCC Finance officers requested  that Schools Forum agrees the principle by which a revision is allocated to balance the APT.

 

It was noted that an analysis had been carried out to confirm which schools are most affected by a change in factors – principally reducing the AWPU or reducing the MFG rate. 6 primary schools (3 academy and 3 maintained) would benefit from the minimum per pupil funding and so are not affected by such an adjustment. 24 schools (21 primary and 3 secondary) are affected by changes to the MFG rate and not by the AWPU. 37 schools are affected  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.